


A Question of Memory

by dragonwrangler



Series: Book of Tales [1]
Category: Yu-Gi-Oh!
Genre: Drama, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-11-14
Updated: 2009-11-14
Packaged: 2017-10-02 19:04:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,581
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9634
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dragonwrangler/pseuds/dragonwrangler
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kaiba is having a little trouble handling the Rod and finding a wet, naked, spirit of the Puzzle in his shower is certainly not helping his state of mind.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Question of Memory

**Author's Note:**

> Author's Notes: This story came out of the idle thought- what would it take to get Kaiba to believe everything happening around him is real- and to see if I could write a yaoi story. It was also the first fanfic I ever completed. First posted on FanFiction.net on October 2, 2005.
> 
> Disclaimer: Yu-Gi-Oh is owned by Kazuki Takahashi. No profit is being made from this fanfic.

“Hang on, big brother— we’re almost there!”

Yugi tightened his grip around Seto Kaiba’s waist as Kaiba's brother Mokuba slipped ahead to open the door to Kaiba’s bedroom. As he listened to Mokuba moving into the room, Yugi shifted his head to see how Kaiba was holding up.

That proved a little difficult for the short duelist with his face currently pressed into Kaiba’s stomach as he tried to keep his sagging rival upright.

Kaiba was still pretty much out of it but luckily for Yugi and Mokuba he was still able to walk with a little help. Kaiba’s brilliant blue eyes showed no reaction as Yugi met his gaze and were barely visible under his drooping eyelids, his chin almost touching his collarbone. The bottom and left side of his white jacket was now grey with the dried mud scattered across it, as were the pants and boots not covered by the jacket. Every part of him appeared to be sagging under a heavy weight and Yugi was having a little trouble keeping him on his feet as he waited for Mokuba.

If Yugi had not heard Kaiba muttering a few choice swear word while he helped navigate him up the stairs to the bedroom Yugi would have believed Kaiba’s soul had been stolen again. Even so, Yugi wished desperately that the other me would regain consciousness so he could ask him exactly what had happened when Kaiba grabbed the Millennium Rod.

Immediately passing out could not have been a good thing.

“O. K. big brother, just a few more steps,” Mokuba said as he slipped under his brother's arm.

They managed to maneuver the much taller duelist to the huge four-poster bed that dominated the room and, as gently as they could, dumped him face down on it. Yugi slipped the Millennium Rod from Kaiba’s waist where he had hooked it through his belt and, after adjusting the straps on his backpack that had slipped while holding Kaiba up, helped Mokuba haul his brother’s legs onto the bed. Pushing Kaiba slightly to make sure he was in the bed and not on the edge, Yugi and Mokuba stepped back to look at the sprawled figure.

“Should we try and make him more comfortable?” Yugi whispered to Mokuba.

“I’ll take care of that,” Kaiba growled into the bed. “Just get out.”

Yugi could see Mokuba’s relief in the sudden grin on his face as he turned to head for the door. “I think we should leave. He can get really crabby when he’s in that mood.”

Setting the Millennium Rod on the nightstand, remembering the other me insisting it stay with Kaiba, Yugi said, “If you need anything let us know, Kaiba.”

“Yeah, I’ll be sure to do that,” Kaiba managed to mutter sarcastically.

Shaking his head, Yugi followed Mokuba out into the hall and asked, as they made their way down the stairs, “Do you think he’s all right?”

“Yeah, he’ll be fine. We probably should have tried to get that jacket off him before we shoved him into the bed though. Or at least the boots.” Mokuba shrugged and added, “But it’s not like this is the first time he’s fallen asleep like that.”

Wandering into the game room, Yugi shucked the backpack and pulled Kaiba’s Duel Disk out. Setting the device on the top of a short shelf full of DVD’s and dropping the backpack with his own Disk still inside next to it, Yugi wandered over to one of the plush chairs that faced the plasma TV set into the opposite wall. Settling into the chair, he watched Mokuba switch on a game before dropping onto a pile of sofa cushions next to a heavy granite coffee table in the center of the room.

As he waited for the game to load Mokuba asked, “How’s the other Yugi doing?”

Yugi shrugged, not wanting to worry Mokuba. “I’m pretty sure he’s all right. He should be back up before the end of the night.”

“Oh, that’s cool. I mean he took a pretty bad hit for Seto there at the end of the duel.”

“Yeah, that card surprised us both.” Yugi kicked off his mud covered sneakers, and made a face as he looked down at the formally white, now definitely brown, socks.

“If you want, you can use the guest bathroom to get cleaned up,” Mokuba said, glancing under the table at Yugi’s feet.

Yugi thought a moment then shook his head. “Thanks Mokuba, but I think I’ll wait until the other me wakes up.” Yugi leaned back and suddenly smiled as he sensed the spirit of the Puzzle stirring. “I think he will appreciate it a lot more than I will right now.”

Mokuba nodded as he swept the game controller off the table and said brightly, “Well, when he’s ready he’ll find the bathroom on the opposite side of the stairs from Seto’s room. He’ll especially like the two massaging showerheads in there. They feel great after a bad day.”

* * *

Feeling a scowl cross his face as he looking at the canopy stretched over his bed, Seto finally decided getting up would be a much more productive activity than his current one of staring at a piece of cloth.

Swinging his legs over the edge, he scrubbed his face in an attempt to wake up enough to make it to the bathroom for a long hot bath. If he fell asleep in the whirlpool, fine— he just wanted to strip out of the dirty clothes he was wearing so he could at least feel halfway human.

It took Seto several moments to realize he had nodded off again when he suddenly found himself gazing mindlessly at the golden Millennium Rod that he was now holding in his lap.

He had no memory of picking it up and the last thing he wanted to do right now was handle the damn thing.

Seto glared at it, annoyed that such a simple object could so completely fuck his mind.

Burying the visions that had messed with his head during Battle City had been hard enough but the ones that had assaulted him when he had grabbed the Rod from the idiot who had taken it from Yugi and tried to use it on Mokuba had gone way beyond what his sanity could handle.

Someone was going to pay for making him pass out like that in front of his brother.

He didn’t know who yet, but someone was going to pay.

Resisting the urge to throw the thing at the wall, Seto slammed it down onto the nightstand and pushed himself off the bed.

As he stepped into the bathroom, Seto only registered the sound of running water when his hand, reaching for the light switch, found it already on. He stared, confused, into the newly remodeled, brightly lit room, his eyes finally settling on the nude figure standing in the open shower, as he desperately tried to jumpstart his brain.

The figure had his back to the door and was bending forward slightly to rinse shampoo out of the mass of pitch-black, red tipped hair on his head, shifting his legs apart slightly for stability. Somewhere in Seto's mind a spark of memory supplied him with the identity of the figure, an identity another part immediately contradicted before meandering off, leaving his mind as free to wander as his eyes were now doing as they drifted over the wet form. He found himself fascinated by the shifting rivulets of water flowing over the lines of Yugi’s back as he straightened to flip the now rinsed hair away from his face.

For a moment, his thoughts ran away with the idle fantasy of running his hands lightly down Yugi’s back, tracing the paths of the water with his fingertips down the smooth, slick skin- when a suddenly coherent part of his brain grabbed the careening thought and shoved it into a corner.

For a moment, Seto stared inward at the wreckage of his thoughts.

What the hell did I just think?

And why the hell isn’t it bothering me more I just thought that?

“Kaiba?”

The voice startled Seto back into the real world. He found his rival looking at him over one shoulder, a hand tangled in wet golden bangs to keep them from blocking his sight. Seto continued to stare, clenching his jaw shut as the response— you know that shower is big enough for two— popped into his head.

There’s no way in hell I’m saying that out loud and besides shouldn’t you be curled up in a mortified little ball right now instead of looking at me with those calm, beautiful eyes, Yugi?

Shit.

“Sorry Kaiba.” Yugi shrugged his shoulders. “Mokuba said it would be all right to use the shower to clean up.”

“Mokuba?” Seto said, his mind scrambling to understand what his brother had to do with the thoughts running riot in his head.

“Yes,” Yugi answered, shifting slightly. Oh please, do not turn around, Seto’s brain thought desperately as he felt his body shouting Turn! Turn! Seto tried to keep his eyes focused straight ahead as Yugi ran his fingers through his hair, bunching the ends at the back of his head to squeeze some water out. He failed miserably, his eyes suddenly following a line of water down the length of Yugi’s body. Dragging his eyes back up he suddenly remembered Mokuba had been the subject of the conversation.

Right. Mokuba said he could use the shower. “When did he say that?” Seto managed to choke out.

“A while age,” Yugi answered, dropping his hands to gesture toward the door. “He did say something about raiding the fridge when I started up here.”

Feeling a sense of relief sweep through him, now that he had a reason to get out of there gracefully handed to him on a silver platter, Seto turned and headed for the stairs.

Mokuba he could handle.

“MOKUBA!” Seto shouted as he reached the top of the stairs.

There was a moment of silence before he heard Mokuba answer cautiously from the kitchen area, “Yeah?”

“GET OUT OF THE FRIDGE!”

“But big brother…”

“NO BUTS! IT’S 4 IN THE MORNING— YOU CAN SNACK AFTER YOU EAT BREAKFAST!”

There was another moment of silence before Mokuba asked, “Can I just have breakfast now?”

“MOKUBA!”

“ALL RIGHT, ALL RIGHT, I’m going to bed!” Seto heard Mokuba moving something around as he added, “Oh, I told Yugi he could use your shower.”

“Yeah, I already found that out, Mokuba- thank for the warning!”

Seto could just hear Mokuba’s snicker downstairs as he turned back to his bedroom. Once there, he found himself yanking open a drawer of his dresser, pulling out a pair of shorts and a shirt he thought might fit Yugi. He lost track of what he was doing for a second, his mind gleefully bringing up the image of the small of Yugi’s back and the nice, firm, ass below it— a view he was sure he had not looked at long enough to form an opinion on— before dragging his attention back into the now to slam the drawer shut.

Hearing the shower shut off as he approached the still open bathroom door, Seto slowed to adjust his jacket to hide the obvious reaction his body was having from all the random thoughts firing through his mind before stepping into the room.

Why the hell am I doing this?

Yugi still had his back to the door, a towel now wrapped around his waist, as he scrubbed his head with a second towel.

Do you really think you’ll get another chance to see that much of him again?

Shut up, damn it.

Seto dropped the clothes in his hands onto the counter next to Yugi’s Millennium Puzzle.

“Here, you can wear these while those get cleaned up,” he said, pointing to the mud splattered clothes on the floor.

Glancing through the towel as he looked over his shoulder Yugi nodded. “Thank you, Kaiba.” As he pulled the towel down to his shoulders Yugi frowned as he asked, “You wouldn’t happen to have a spare toothbrush, would you?”

Opening a drawer under the counter, Seto pulled out a toothbrush, still wrapped in cellophane and travel-sized toothpaste and handed them to Yugi, making sure their fingers did not touch. Yugi nodded and walked slowly over to the sink.

Crossing his arms over his chest to keep them from reaching out to grab the towel around Yugi’s waist, Seto leaned back against the counter and asked irritably, “Why are you still here, Yugi?”

Yugi pulled the wrapper off the toothbrush as he answered. “Just making sure you’re all right.” He turned on the water and opened the toothpaste.

Seto frowned. “I don’t need your concern.”

A weary sigh slipped out of Yugi— a sigh that caused Seto to wrap his arms tighter across his chest as a sudden pressure clutched his heart.

Don't give me a reason why, Yugi.

I don’t want to know why _you_ care.

“There are a lot of people outside your brother who care about your well being, Kaiba. If you’d just act a little more human you would know that.”

“Oh, like I care what you and the rest of the dweeb patrol think.” Seto muttered as he watched Yugi’s reflection. For a moment their eyes met, a moment Seto almost lost himself, gazing into those violet eyes, to the urge to gather up the smaller duelist in a passionate kiss, when Yugi suddenly looked down to brush his teeth.

Seto turned his head to stare out into the hall, his heart suddenly hammering in his chest, his throat constricting as one of the visions dumped into his head by the Rod burst across his mind like a photoflash.

Yugi’s still, unmoving body crumpled on a stone floor dressed in white and gold, blood from his mouth and nose leaving vivid trails across his face, the golden pieces of the puzzle scattered around him, the Black Magician kneeling beside him, tenderly brushing the golden locks back from the pain- filled face, grieving.

And this time he did not see himself in the vision because he was the one watching it all while his heart shattered.

Managing to swallow the grief and anguish that was inexplicably filling his heart he said flatly, “There’s an empty bedroom to the left you’re free to use since it’s too late for you to leave now. I’ll have Roland bring the car around to take you home in the morning.”

“That will be fine Kaiba,” Yugi said. Seto tensed but did not turn as Yugi reached around him to grab the clothes on the counter and on the floor. He stared straight ahead as he felt the heat of the smaller duelist warm his skin, his mind utterly confused by the mixture of yearning and sorrow that now saturated his being.

He continued to stare, unseeing, at his reflection in the mirror long after he heard the door of the guest suite softly close.

* * *

The spirit of the Millennium Puzzle dropped the clothes and the Puzzle onto the bed and started to slip off the towels when he felt Yugi move out of his soul room to appear, ghostlike, off to the side, a quizzical look on his face. Yugi’s soul had been restless ever since he let the nameless spirit have control of his body and so the spirit was not all that surprised to see his partner.

He did feel like wishing Yugi could have waited just a little longer, though.

The spirit retied the towel at his waist and reached for the shirt.

“Kaiba’s not much of a morning person,” Yugi said.

The spirit smiled. “It’s not quite morning yet. This is probably when he usually goes to bed.” He glanced over his shoulder at Yugi as he buttoned the shirt. “I thought you were going to get some rest, partner,” the spirit said, as nonchalantly as he could.

At least he hoped it was nonchalant. The spirit was having trouble trying to figure out his reactions when he realized Kaiba had walked into the bathroom.

It had taken all his willpower to keep himself from turning around, to reach out and grab his seemingly bemused rival, to yank his head down to kiss those lips and feel those arms wrapped around his bare skin.

The last thing I need is Yugi sensing those thoughts.

The last thing I need to be doing is thinking those thoughts.

Yugi shrugged as he wandered aimlessly around the room. “I’m a little wired.” The spirit watched Yugi glance up at the carved molding that ran along the top of the wall and say casually, “You should take Kaiba up on his offer.”

“So you think we should leave in the morning?” the spirit asked, slipping the shorts on under the towel before pulling it off, making sure to keep his back to Yugi.

“Ah no, that’s not… umm…” Yugi’s voice trailed off as an intense wave of embarrassment flowed down the link that tied their souls together.

The spirit looked at Yugi in alarm as Yugi ducked his head, watching the spirit with wide, violet eyes, his face flushed.

“Partner?” the spirit asked, concerned. “Are you all right?”

Yugi bit his lower lip, turning— somehow— even redder.

“Partner?”

Taking a deep breath Yugi blurted out, “I meant the other offer, the one before that one.”

“The one before—” The spirit froze, looking at Yugi in utter astonishment as his thoughts came to a screeching halt.

Oh, you were not listening then, were you? I know I blocked that!

“Yugi, what offer?” he asked, not realizing he was addressing Yugi by name.

Yugi shrugged, looking a little panicked. “Um…you know…” he said desperately, shooting a quick glance at the shorts the spirit had just put on.

Oh, Ra.

_“Kaiba?”_ the spirit asked.

“Well, yeah,” Yugi answered defensively.

“Oh, I doubt that would be a good idea, partner,” the spirit said as he slowly sank down onto the bed, giving up on hiding the reactions the shorts were obviously not concealing, an utterly useless maneuver, the spirit realized, since it was Yugi's body.

“Why not?” Yugi asked earnestly.

“What?”

Another wave of embarrassment flowed down the link as Yugi took another deep breath to say in a rush, “You were trapped in the Puzzle for three thousand years! That’s a long time to be alone!”

“I am quite happy with the way things are, other me,” the spirit said firmly, using the Puzzle’s magic to reach out and pull the insubstantial form of his soul mate into his arms. “You are all that I need,” he said gently to the top of Yugi’s bowed head.

Yugi sighed. “But I think you need something more, something I can’t give you.”

“You are everything to me, partner. I need nothing more than this.”

Yugi looked up, meeting his gaze, before reaching out to pass his hand through the chest of his body, the power of the Puzzle to give Yugi’s soul substance only fleeting in the real world. Pulling it back, holding the spirit’s gaze he said, “But I can only touch your soul, other me. You deserve more than that.”

The spirit shook his head, uncertain he was hearing this correctly. “And you think Kaiba is what I need?”

When Yugi remained silent he pointed out, teasing lightly, “You did start this conversation.”

Yugi smiled a little ruefully. “Yeah, I can’t blame anyone but myself for this, can I.” He straightened and said, “I think it’s what you both need. I think a good screw might loosen you two up a little. I mean you both get way too intense sometimes.” He looked down at the shorts, biting down a grin. “And it’s obvious you like the way he looks.”

The spirit burst out in sudden laughter, falling back onto the bed. “I think you need to lay off those videos of Joey’s”

Yugi grinned fully as he settled on the bed himself, sitting cross-legged beside the spirit. “Hey, you like watching them too!”

“Should I point out this is not my body to fool around with, partner?”

“I don’t mind.”

“That’s not the point.”

“Yes it is,” Yugi said.

The spirit stopped laughing to stare at Yugi in wonder.

Oh gods Yugi, you are serious aren’t you.

“I’ve thought about this a lot, other me. You have as much right to find the comfort you crave as I do.” The need to protest pulled the spirit upright but he remained silent at the pleading look on Yugi’s face as he continued, “I know you want to protect me from your thoughts about stuff like this but I can sense the emotions behind them, you can’t tell me I’m wrong.” Yugi’s expression became tender, full of love and understanding. “And I know what you’re thinking now- you wouldn’t be betraying me. You could never betray me.”

“I know you love me but I can’t give you everything you need, other me.”

The spirit gave Yugi a gentle smile. “I don’t think you know what you’re offering me, partner. You will be the one who would have to deal with its after effects.” He lay back down as he added with a sigh, “Besides, I don’t think now would be the best time to pursue this.”

“Why not?” Yugi asked softly.

“Mostly because Kaiba looked a little lost in there. I think he’s having trouble handling the Rod. I seriously doubt he would be open to the idea right now.”

“Yeah but maybe it is the right time. Maybe he needs a distraction. Come on, other me, you love challenges, especially ones that involve Kaiba.”

“You’re not giving up on this are you?” the spirit said in mock annoyance.

Yugi made a face at him. “Do you know how long it took me to come up with the courage to have this conversation with you?”

“Kaiba is a pain in the ass, partner.”

“So are you, if you hadn’t noticed."

Givng Yugi an evil smirk, the spirit said, “If I follow through on this, Kaiba’s going to be a pain in your ass, partner.”

Yugi looked at the spirit, utterly embarrassed.

“Oh, thanks so much for sharing that, other me.”

* * *

Realizing he was not ready to attempt sleep, Seto found himself heading for the game room in search of a distraction after a long cold shower, finally dressed in a clean black t-shirt and pants.

Hearing sounds inside the room as he approached, Seto threw the door opened and said irritably as he stepped into the room, “I thought you said you were going to bed, Mokuba?”

The television snapped off as Yugi peered around the chair he sat in. “Sorry, I did not mean to disturb you.” Rising up he added, “I should get to bed. Good night, Kaiba.”

Shaking his head in sheer annoyance, Seto waved a hand through the air. “No, stay. Or go. I don’t care what you do.”

Seto dropped into his chair in front of the coffee table, putting one bare foot against the edge. The visions started to stir again along with those annoying, distracting, thoughts about Yugi. He glance to the side and glared when he found Yugi still standing in the room, a thoughtful look on his face.

Finding himself unable to turn away Seto ran a critical eye over Yugi’s form, noticing the fit of the clothes he had given him.

The shorts were mostly hidden by the untucked shirt but Seto could still tell they were riding a little low on Yugi’s hips. The shirt had been buttoned up to just below his collarbone, leaving his throat exposed.

Seto stared at Yugi’s throat, actually noticing this time it was free of the black, silver buckled, collar Yugi always wore. Seto felt his heart begin to race again as he fought the fantasy to unbutton the shirt and run a hand down from the bare throat to the top of the shorts.

Why am I even thinking this? You shattered my heart and forced me to rebuild it after we first met.

And I still haven't managed to finish putting it back together.

Why do I want you close enough to do that to me again?

When Yugi suddenly began walking toward him though, Seto’s mind almost shut down completely from the crossed signals caused by the urge to touch and the urge to back away.

When Yugi straddled the leg Seto had braced against the table and leaned forward to grip the chair back, Seto’s mind switched gears entirely and decided getting Yugi as far away as possible before he lost his mind was now the priority.

“What the hell are you doing?” Seto snapped as he dropped the leg to the floor.

Yugi was way too close, his face oddly contemplative, as he answered calmly, “I’m just trying to figure out the best way to shut you up.”

Seto scowled, the surge of anger sweeping through him helping him gain some control over the rising tension in his body. He took hold of the anger as he snarled, “Oh, and how exactly are you planning to do tha…”

Yugi silenced him mid word, catching him off guard, expertly sealing his lips over Seto’s. Yugi’s forward motion pressed Seto’s head back into the chair, causing Seto to grab the edge of the cushion under him in surprise. He could feel Yugi climb into the chair, his knees trapping Seto’s hands beneath him.

Yugi immediately took advantage of his position, slipping his tongue into Seto’s still open mouth, exploring with quick, unexpected, flicks as his lips pressed and rubbed hard against Seto’s, but before Seto could even begin to respond, Yugi suddenly pulled away, leaving Seto gasping for air, his breath hitching as he felt Yugi shift his attention to the length of Seto’s neck, creating a trail of heat down to the hollow of his throat.

A groan slipped out as Yugi’s tongue traced the hollow and his breath washed warm across the sensitive skin, breaking Seto's already shaky hold on his desires. His awareness locked on the lithe form above him, his back arcing for more contact but Yugi rose up, holding himself just out of reach.

An incoherent growl of frustration slipped out of Seto as he dropped back into the chair. Opening his eyes as Yugi broke contact, he found Yugi staring down at him. Seto panted harshly as he tried to understand what exactly had just happened. He watched Yugi settle onto his lap and, gazing at the lazy, calculating, look and the slightly parted lips, he began to lose himself in the crimson depths of Yugi’s eyes.

Wait a minute.

Crimson?

“You thought that would shut me up?” Seto shouted, confusion suddenly overwhelming his desire. He tried to push himself upright but found himself momentarily trapped by the weight of his rival sitting in his lap.

Yugi calmly stared at him, easily balancing himself against Seto’s movements, as he answered in a low, deep, voice, “Honestly no but,” he added softly, almost to himself, “it did prove Yugi’s point.”

“Yugi’s point! What the fuck are you talking about!”

An odd look filled his rival's face as he said, “Maybe you should ask him that yourself, Kaiba.”

Face to face with the switch, feeling the change of weight on his legs, Seto was forced to admit that Yugi either had an incredibly crafty split personality or…

Oh no.

Oh, God damn it, no!

Yugi squeaked, jerking back in surprise, swinging his arms as he suddenly leaned back too far and caused Seto’s legs to part. His hands suddenly free, Seto grabbed for Yugi’s waist, catching the belt loops to yank him upright, wrapping an arm around him to pull him forward. Yugi grabbed Seto’s shoulders in a death grip, snapping his arms straight to stare at him with impossibly wide, violet, eyes. The look of shock filling those eyes suddenly became unfocused, his face slowly growing seriously annoyed.

Shocked, Seto yelled the first thing that popped into his mind.

“What the hell is he saying!”

Suddenly focusing back on Seto, his face turning as red as the tips of his hair, Yugi snapped in a high pitched voice, “That I should tell you what I told him- that you both need a good fuck to loosen up- oh, I am not going to say that, partner!”

Seto watched, stunned, as Yugi held a rapid, breathless, one-sided conversation with himself.

“Hey, I’m just… oh I really don’t need to know that either, other me! Yes, I can feel that and I said it’s alright but…Argghh! Look just do it, here, it’s all yours!”

Annoyed violet eyes abruptly shifted back to lust filled crimson.

Seto stared into them, his mind swamped by a single thought that utterly destroyed his reality.

Oh God, it’s all true.

And as the world he believed in crashed into a deep dark hole, Seto realized he no longer cared in anything that did not include those beautiful crimson eyes or the lithe body that he now held in his arms.

To hell with sanity.

“Get off,” he stated calmly as he let go of Yugi- no, Yami, that's what Yugi's little group called the spirit of the Puzzle. As soon as Seto surrendered to the moment the images the Rod had scattered through his mind, that had demanded his attention, settled, patiently waiting for him to view them.

However now was not the time.

Defiance flash through Yami’s eyes as he balanced on his knees. “Why?”

Staring at Yami through narrowed lids, finally in control of himself for the first time since grabbing the Rod, Seto answered in a low growl, “Because I can’t get these fucking clothes off with you sitting in my lap.”

“I can remove them for you,” Yami said, matter-of-factly, leaning back slightly to look down at Seto. Seto could almost see Yami’s mind crunching out strategies to relieve him of his clothes. “Pants will be a challenge though,” he added thoughtfully.

Seto smothered the sudden, unexpected, stupid smile that was threatening to creep onto his face. “Get the hell off of me and strip, Yami.”

“Afraid of a challenge, Kaiba?” Yami answered, smirking.

Seto suddenly shoved a hand up through a loose leg of Yami’s shorts and wrapped the other around Yami, forcing Yami up against his chest. He pushing the hand far enough up the shorts to grip the tight ass that had caught his attention earlier. He was momentarily distracted when he found Yami was wearing no underwear but he showed no sign of it as he held his hand still, fingertips brushing suggestively against the rim of Yami’s anus.

Yami twitched, trying to get Seto to move, but Seto held them both still as he whispered into Yami’s ear with a voice thick with his growing desire, “You strip or this is all you get, Yami.”

“Damn you,” Yami growled as he suddenly shoved back to slip off the chair.

As he watched Yami pull the Millennium Puzzle off and drop it on the table before unbuttoning the shirt, Seto said, “I do whatever’s necessary to get what I want, Yami. Haven’t you learned that by now?”

As Yami reached the bottom button, undid it, and started to pull the shirt apart, revealing how far down the shorts were riding, Seto decided that this was one of those things he wanted and reached out to pull Yami close again.

* * *

The spirit watched Kaiba’s face as he was pulled close, watched the hard lines soften as his rival ran his fingers lightly up, exploring, touching, sending shivers of pleasure through the spirit. He sighed, momentarily closing his eyes, the shirt bunched— forgotten— at his elbows as Kaiba leaned in to trace the lines of his body with fingertips and lips. When he felt Kaiba pull away for a moment, the spirit leaned down, his lips brushing feather light against Kaiba’s, his breath mingling with his rival's.

The kiss was fleeting as Kaiba moved on, his mouth marking a trail down the center of the spirit’s body, tracing the same trail with his fingers down the spirit’s back; sucking and nipping, stroking and scratching. As Kaiba reached the top of the shorts and pulled them open, the spirit arched with a groan, throwing his head back as he felt Kaiba slip his stiffening arousal gently into his mouth.

A cry broke free as Kaiba set a slow pace, pulling back to the tip, slipping back down, enveloping the spirit’s length in deep, moist, warmth. For a time the spirit allowed himself to be lost in the sensations rushing though him- allowing himself to forget his doubts, forget his fear, forget the demands the world had placed on him as his body slowly began to rock in rhythm with Kaiba’s movement. A gasping moan slipped out when the spirit felt Kaiba swallow before speeding up his pace, sucking the spirit deeper into the heat of his mouth. The spirit, reaching out to grab Kaiba for balance as he felt his body beginning to move beyond his control, suddenly found himself tangled in the shirt. Distracted, losing the rhythm, he yanked the shirt off and, finding himself slightly off-balance, grabbed a fistful of t-shirt.

As the spirit felt himself slip from Kaiba's mouth, the spirit dragged the t-shirt over the surprised look on his rival's head. As the shirt came free, the spirit tossed it away and was about to kick the shorts around his ankles to join it but dropped it on the table when something reminded him he needed something from it.

What that something was he could not remember, only that he was going to need it soon.

* * *

When he was free of the shirt Seto found Yami standing before him, a slight smirk on his face, his chest rising and falling, breathing hard, sweat beginning to glisten on his skin, standing completely at ease as Seto ran his gaze across his naked body.

For a moment a vision from the Rod surfaced, a vision of Yami beneath him with the same look, daring him to wipe the smirk away, as he took Seto’s hard thrusts deep inside himself.

“Need help with that?”

“What?” Seto said, breathless, pulling his mind back to the Yami before him, unconsciously slipping his legs between Yami’s, forcing them apart.

“The pants,” Yami said as he shifted his stance, bending to run a hand between Seto’s legs to press it a moment against his crotch before slipping it over his thighs to grab the fabric of the pants. He gave Seto a knowing grin as he waited for Seto’s reaction.

The reaction was instantaneous, Seto suddenly desperate to feel what the vision hinted at and relieve the sudden pressure Yami's brief touch had produced. Quickly stripping off the pants and underwear, Yami pulled them past his feet before tossing them across the room. Seto grabbed Yami and pulled him into the chair, ready to move them both to the floor when Yami suddenly pushed away.

“Hold on to me," Yami whispered roughly.

“What?” Seto asked again, seriously annoyed at the delay, as Yami bent over backward to reach out for the shorts he had dropped onto the table. Suddenly presented with this unique view of Yami, Seto could not stop himself from brushing a hand lightly over the taunt muscles of Yugi’s torso, causing Yugi to twitch and growl in annoyance. A satisfied smirk spreading across his face, Seto brought the hand down to curl it around Yami’s erect member, slowly pumping up and down, enjoying the sounds suddenly erupting out of Yami as he tried to do whatever the hell it was he was trying to do.

* * *

The spirit grabbed Kaiba’s hand, pulling it off, trying to bring himself back from the edge Kaiba had pushed him to, not ready to end things just yet. He panted harshly as he slapped the small plastic bottle of hand lotion he finally remembered stuffing into his back pocket into Kaiba’s hand.

Kaiba stared at it, looking confused.

Leaning in close, the spirit said roughly, “Sorry, all I could find on short notice. Figured we’d need it if you didn’t throw me off.”

“For what?” Kaiba snapped.

Giving Kaiba a look, the spirit answered in a growl, “It makes it easier to put things into other things, Kaiba.”

Comprehension flashed across Kaiba’s face, a blush quickly following it.

“I hate you.”

The spirit managed not to grin at the flustered duelist as he said, “Yeah, you’ve told me that a few times. Open the damn bottle, Kaiba.”

Kaiba unscrewed the cap as the spirit shifted his position, crouching slightly, pressing his knees against the chair back. He watched Kaiba scoot a little lower in the chair, drizzling lotion on his fingertips before reaching behind the spirit, gently spreading the lotion around the spirit’s tight opening. The spirit’s breathing became ragged as he shifted his knee to brace himself against the chair arm, giving Kaiba better access. As Kaiba massaged, the spirit ducked his head down to nuzzle Kaiba's ear, tracing the curled edge with the tip of his tongue, humming with pleasure.

Kaiba turned his head, meeting his lips, sucking gently, drawing the spirit’s breath from his body.

The kiss was hauntingly familiar and for a moment the spirit felt a shiver of fear, but the fear had nothing to hold on to and faded away as the spirit fell headlong into the desperate need to feel everything Kaiba could offer him.

The spirit forced his tongue past Kaiba’s teeth but Kaiba suddenly resisted, twisting his head away to focus on the spirit’s neck, once again sucking and nipping. The spirit growled deep in his throat, smiling at the subtle challenge and— not willing to let Kaiba have him that easily— grabbed Kaiba’s head and forced Kaiba’s lips back to his.

However, Kaiba had other ideas.

* * *

Deciding to distract his rival to gain control, Seto slipped a finger deep into Yami.

Yami tossed his head as Seto’s finger found the sweet spot, sending Yami’s body arching in pleasure.

Seto carefully added another, grinning as he felt his control over Yami return, knowing instinctively where to touch to send his rival twisting and moaning and gasping with pleasure, and began massaging within, hoping to make what he was about to do a little less painful for the smaller duelist.

Bracing a foot against the table, glad he had had it bolted to the floor after the last earthquake, Seto momentarily pulled his fingers out to add more lotion. Yami growled softly against Seto’s neck at the loss of sensation but was soon groaning in pleasure as Seto returned to his task, adding a third finger when he realized how receptive his rival had become.

Focused completely on his task it took Seto a moment to register the shift in Yami’s position. Yami’s arm brushed against his as Yami’s fingertips slipped over his arousal, the fingers cool and slick with lotion, the unexpected touch causing a sudden, surprised, cry to erupt from deep within Seto as he felt himself become instantly hard.

No longer willing to wait, and sensing from the deep, hungry, kiss from Yami that his rival was growing desperate, Seto reached up with one hand to balance Yami as he slowly pressed himself down onto Seto, biting down to keep from shouting out as he felt himself slipping into Yami's tight opening. Closing his eyes Seto tried not to dig his fingers into Yami’s skin as he fought the urge to force the smaller duelist down over his aching member.

A moan slipped past Seto’s lips as Yami suddenly stopped moving, a shiver running through him. Seto slipped his hands up over the taunt muscles of Yami’s back to wrap them over his shoulders, pulling slightly in a desperate attempt to get Yami to move.

Opened his eyes when Yami remained still, Seto found Yami staring at him, the crimson eyes wide with wonder, a soft and gentle smile on his lips, Seto returned the smile and let himself be lost in those eyes as he felt Yami began to move again.

Curling his spine, Seto pushed up slightly to meet Yami, driving deep, his cry of pleasure mixing with Yami’s. Yami rocked his hips, pulling them apart then back, matching Seto’s motion, never breaking his gaze, deepening the penetration, sheathing Seto completely within himself.

Everything beyond Seto fell away, his world now nothing more than the movement of his body and Yami’s, the beautiful eyes reflecting all he felt- the loss as they slipped apart, the completeness as they joined together- the friction and the heat and touch of flesh driving Seto’s mind beyond pain and pleasure.

For a moment he moved beyond even that, memories blurring together becoming one, the past becoming the present.

Seto managed to slip a hand between their bodies, pumping Yami hard, bring him to completion first, catching the cry that burst from Yami's lips with his own, his hand tangled in Yami’s sweat soaked hair as he rode the waves of pleasure rippling through Yami and, wrapping an arm around Yami’s waist to hold their bodies together, joined him as his own body pulsed to a rhythm beyond his control.

And at the peak of that rhythm, his body finding release deep within the one above him, Seto cried out the name the Rod had placed in his head when he had first touched it.

The name he had refused to recognize.

The name of the missing piece of his heart.

“Atemu"

The word burst passed Seto’s lips without thought- the only word that he could give to this pleasure and love and comfort and peace that was flooding into his heart and body and making him whole. He wrapped his arms around the embodiment of the word, giving back what he had taken, a cry of loss and pleasure, pain and hope slipping from his lover’s exhausted form. He held the trembling body close, running his hands in slow gentle circles across the sweat covered back as he pulled out, tears momentarily blinding his sight.

His heart was finally whole.

For a time Seto simply held his lover, his body relaxed and utterly calm, the memories from the Rod— for he realized now that was what they truly were— quiet and peaceful; but he soon became aware that Atemu had been overwhelmed by the memories now unlocked within his own mind, as he began to feel his lover’s hot tears falling against his skin. Unable to stand the thought he had caused this pain, Seto decided to distract Atemu, give him the time he needed to gather himself, to return the favor of time Atemu had just given him.

He forced an annoyed growl past his lips.

Seto felt Atemu freeze in his arms. For a moment Seto feared he had gone too far but he waited, feeling Atemu gather himself, pushing away to meet his gaze.

“What is it?” Atemu asked, his voice rough, his eyes dark and vulnerable.

Seto stared at him, holding his own body under tight control to keep from reaching up to gently cup the now oh-so-familiar face before him, to caress the pain and tears away with soft touches, as he let a scowl slowly settle across his face. He watched Atemu closely, waiting for the right moment and when a frown replaced the rare look of vulnerability on Atemu’s face, Seto finally muttered darkly, “You’re still on top.”

Atemu continued to frown at him as he worked through Seto’s words, the frown ever so slowly replaced by the ‘you really think you can beat me?’ smirk as he growled, “And you’re going to do what about that, Priest?”

Oh God, I live for that look, don’t I.

Wrapping an arm tight around Atemu, Seto pushed himself out of the chair and in one fluid motion, dumped Atemu onto the marble coffee table. Atemu let out a gasp of surprise and shouted, “Shit! Cold!” He laughed freely as he arched his back away from the cool marble, his legs wrapping themselves around Seto’s waist.

Seto gazed down at the laughing face beneath him as he answered, laughing himself. “I’m sure I can come up with something, my Pharaoh.”

He pressed his lips to Atemu’s, brought his body down against his. Atemu melted into the kiss, soft and yielding. Seto felt Atemu shifting slightly— could feel him stretching his legs out to hang them over the edge of the table— when abruptly Atemu’s whole body jerked tight, twisting beneath him.

Seto broke the kiss and drew back, startled, as Atemu curled into a ball.

“Oh, shit!” Seto heard Atemu gasp through sudden laughter, his hand reaching around his legs.

“What’s wrong?” Seto shouted, spreading his arms as he pulled away.

“Hurt!” Atemu answered, still laughing.

Relief flooding through him as he realized Atemu was simply feeling the effects of putting Yugi’s body into positions it had never been in before, Seto stood and crossed his arms to say in mock annoyance, “You would find a way to stay on top. It wouldn’t kill you to let someone else win from time to time.”

Atemu just laughed harder, tears now flowing down his face.

Shaking his head, a silly grin filling his face, Seto grabbed a blanket off the sofa Mokuba had stripped for cushion, throwing it over Atemu before reaching down and scooping him into his arms, snagging the Millennium Puzzle in the process. Carefully stepping around the mess of clothes on slightly shaky legs he walked out of the game room.

Resting his head against Seto’s shoulder, Atemu smiled up and asked as they headed down the hall, “Where are we going?”

“Guest bathroom.” Seto answered as he pushed the door open. Elbowing the light on he stepped over to the tub and set Atemu and the Puzzle down on the wide edge, leaving Atemu to curl up comfortably against the wall.

As he turned the water on he watched Atemu glance around the room. Even more elaborate that the upstairs bathroom, it had been built to let anyone staying in the mansion know that the owner of the house was filthy rich.

Which was why Seto had the upstairs one remodeled to be less ostentatious.

He already knew he had more money than God, no need to be too showy.

“There was a guest bathroom?” Atemu asked.

“Yes.”

“And Mokuba sent me to the one you use.”

“Yes,” Seto said with a snort.

Atemu laughed again. “Was it that obvious to everyone else but us?”

“Apparently.”

Seto stepped into the warm water and reached out for Atemu. In the bright light of the room he found himself soaking in the sight of his lover as Atemu dropped the blanket to stand and join him.

Seto no longer saw Yugi before him. Atemu had been several years older than Yugi when Seto’s past self had cast the spell to seal his beloved’s soul into the Puzzle and Seto was now able to see once again the lean, muscular, dusty skinned body that had been forged by the physical demands of the Shadow Games. Yugi’s body was only beginning to be shaped by the Games and had yet to reach the perfection that was now revealed before Seto.

For a moment the sight sent Seto choking on the ancient sorrow of his past- only to have Atemu smooth them away.

A gentle, understanding, smile on his face Atemu reached up to place a warm hand against his cheek. “You only did what I asked of you my Priest, my love. You gave up your heart to save the world from the darkness I held contained.

“There is no need for sorrow now. I am here and I will never leave you again.”

Seto gathered Atemu up in his arms, cleansing tears flowing freely down his face, his lips joining Atemu’s in a fierce kiss, his heart soaring free.

* * *

“Yugi?”

Yugi glanced up in surprise at the voice. He quickly crossed through the mess of toys and games spread across the floor of his soul room to reach the handle of the closed door.

I really need to clean in here don’t I.

Pulling the door open, Yugi said, “Other me, you know you can come in any…” As the figure on the other side of the door was revealed, Yugi felt his jaw hit the floor.

His first, confused impression was one of white and red, gold and bronze. He blinked and stared as the figure resolved itself into something that was so familiar and yet so utterly new.

A simple white linen tunic and kilt now clothed the spirit. A crimson apron added a splash of color, edged in delicate gold stitching and held in place by a wide golden belt that encircled the trim, narrow waist. A cloak, also crimson, wrapped and flowed down from the wide shoulders, the edge of a broad, golden collar glittering beneath the cloak.

Golden bands shone against the spirit’s dusty bronze skin, encircling narrow wrists and ankles, the wiry muscles of his upper arms, and the graceful, shapely neck; the bands highlighting every part of the physical grace and regal power of the spirit’s form.

Yugi gazed at the spirit’s face, the exotic crimson eyes he had always known, the golden winged crown with the Horus Eye carved in the center something new but as much a part of him as the eyes.

Yugi knew without question that this was the true form of the spirit, this trim, lithe, body before him.

“Oh my God, you’re beautiful!” Yugi managed to utter as he stared in amazement at his soul mate.

Laughter slipped past sensuous lips, the sound light and easy.

Yugi suddenly gave the spirit a playful grin. “So this is what happens when you have sex, huh?”

A satisfied smirk graced the spirit’s lips as he answered. “When I have sex with Seto it does.”

Yugi laughed in delight as his soul mate suddenly wrapped him in his arms, the spirit sending his love and joy flowing through their link. For a moment Yugi reveled in the happy thoughts but could not stop the sudden feeling of sorrow that flashed in his heart.

“You’re no longer the other me now, are you?” he said softly, resting his head against his soul mate’s chest, his eyes filling with guilty tears.

A hand gently tilted his head up. He saw the sorrow reflected in the crimson eyes above him but also a fierce love that Yugi knew would always belong to him and him alone.

“No, I am Atemu now,” he said in a soft, deep, murmur, gently brushing Yugi’s long golden bangs back from his face.

“But you will always be my partner, my soul mate and my light.”

Yugi smiled, unable to hold on to the sorrow under the gaze of love in those eyes. He felt a mischievous smile slip onto his face as he said. “And will you always be here to corrupt my innocent little soul, my darkness?”

Atemu grinned, a wicked gleam filling his eyes.

“Always and forever, my light.

“Always and forever."


End file.
